NBC Picks Up New Comedy From Ryan Murphy & J.J. Abrams’ ‘Revolution’

NBC is apparently eager to get the new television season underway, having already given the go-ahead to new comedies from Anne Heche and Matthew Perry. NBC has now made series orders for two very different, high-profile shows: The New Normal and Revolution, from Ryan Murphy and J.J. Abrams, respectively.

Unlike his two other currently-running series, Glee and American Horror Story, Murphy will be without frequent collaborator Brad Falchuk on New Normal, and has instead enlisted Allison Alder (Glee) to help tell the tale of a young gay couple played by Andrew Rannells (Girls) and Justin Bartha (The Hangover), and the woman who is the surrogate mother to their expanding family (Georgia King, Skins). The single-camera comedy will also feature Ellen Barkin and NeNe Leaks as characters in recurring roles.

The peacock network is also keen on inviting J.J. Abrams back into the fold, even though their last outing resulted in the low-rated spy drama Undercovers. This time, however, Abrams is teaming with Supernatural creator Eric Kripke for the apocalyptic sci-fi drama Revolution. The series, which concerns a world in chaos after all technology mysteriously stops working, has assigned Billy Burke (Twilight, Drive Angry) to a lead role, with former Breaking Bad kingpin Giancarlo Esposito and The Cape himself, David Lyons, lined up to join him in his quest to turn the lights back on.

In addition to his writing duties, Kripke will serve as executive producer alongside Abrams. Meanwhile, similar to the network bringing in feature-film director David Slade to handle the pilot for Awake and the upcoming Mockingbird Lane, Revolution’s pilot episode, will be directed by Jon Favreau (Iron Man, Cowboys & Aliens). Considering all the names that have jumped into the talent pool here, it’s fair to say that come time for its premiere, all eyes will be on Revolution. Let’s just hope that pilot episode far exceeds the unfortunate first impression given by the cast photo released by NBC.

Billy Burke heading up ‘Revolution’ for NBC

Like Murphy, Abrams, too, has a couple other projects currently airing on television. However, with the future of Alcatraz still undecided, and Fringe preparing for its fifth and final season, the Jonathan Nolan-created Person of Interest and now Revolution mark the best shot for Abrams’ influence in television to continue. Until his name pops up in connection with a handful of projects vying for shot as a midseason replacement, that is.

For its part, NBC could certainly use a breakout hit. Whether The New Normal or Revolution will wind up being the ratings winner the network so desperately craves remains to be seen, but considering the rather dismal season it just had, almost anything would be an improvement.

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Screen Rant will have more information on The New Normaland Revolution including premiere dates and season schedules as they become available.